Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a countrylocated in Central Europe.Our country borders withthe following countries: Germany in the west, theCzech Republic and Slovakia in the south, Ukraine,Belarus and Lithuania in the east, and the Baltic Seaand Kaliningrad District, ( a Russian exclave) in thenorth.

Poland is medium-sized country , with the total area of 312,679sq km, is the world’s69th and Europe’s 9th largest country.

Population of Poland is over 38 million .It put our country in 67th position in the worldand 8th position in Europe

Poland is a country with a lot of

dfferent types of landscapes

The Baltic Sea with sandy beaches and cliffs on the north

The mountains on the south

The Tatras are the highest range of the Carpathians. There are a lof of interesting places such as Mount Giewont with a characteristic cross on the top.

The highest top of Poland is Rysywith the picturesque tarn of

Morskie Oko

Popular destination in Poland

They are one of the oldest mountains inPoland. The Raj Cave ( Paradise ) is themost beautiful cave in our country.

Region is famous for its limestone hill ,caves and the ruins of medevial castlescalled The route of the Eagles Nests’ .

Our region is the one of the most industrial district inPoland. Its development was based on coal.

The lakeland countryside is lokated in the north of Polandand dominated by hills and lakes. One of the most famousregion is Mazurian Lakeland with the biggest (Śniardwy)and deepest ((Hańcza)lakes in Poland.

The biggest cities :

WARSAWWarsaw became the official capital in 16th c. Today , there areabout 1,69 million inhabitians and a new period of prosperity

Some facts from the history of our country.

In 966 he adopted Christianity in Poland He became a king in 1025

Important dates:

1364 r. - The creation of University of Cracow (Jagielonian Uniwersity

1410 r. - The Battle of Grunwald

1773 r. - Appointment of the National Education Commission (the first Ministry of Education)

1772 – 1795 r. - Three partitions of Poland (Poland was divided in to three countries: Russia, Prussia and Austria)

1791 r. - The adoption of Constitution of Repablic

1918 – Poland after World War I and after 123years partitions , bacame independend country

1939- 1945 The Second World War, NaziGermany's occupation policy in Poland wasdesigned to eradicate Polish culture throughmass executions and to exterminate thecountry's large Jewish minority.

1980 -the begiining of changes on the politicalscene, ( Solidarity was set up)

2004 -Poland joined EU

Polish national holidays

Constitution of May 3thIt was the first constitution in Europe andsecond in the world after the constitutionof USA..

November 11 -

The Day of Independence

After 123 years, Poland has become free.

Fat Thursday

On the last Thursday before Lentpeople eat lots of donuts.

Polish customs

Easter

On Easter Saturday people go to church in order to

bleess baskets with food (eggs, sausage, bread,

horse-radish,saltz and butter). On the Easter

Sunday people celebrate family breakfast sharing

the blessing eggs and they wish each other all the

best.

Wet Monday

boys set up huge groups and they hunt for girls

to…use their water guns against them. That’s

right – they literally do everything they can to

make them all wet. They pour it out on a random

girl they see.

1st november –All Saints Day

We burn candles in cemeteries.We think about our deceased.

Christmas Eve is known as Wigilia. The main

Christmas meal is eaten in the evening and is

called "Kolacja wigilijna" (Christmas Eve

supper). People share wafel and wish each

other or the best. Traditional supper should

consist of twelve dishes.

Christmas Eve

Presents are brought by "Święty Mikołaj" but in

some parts of Poland there are different

present bringers (because during the 19th

century the borders of Poland were different,

so people had different traditions). In the east

(Podlasie) there is "Dziadek Mróz" in western

and northern Poland "Gwiazdor", the Starman

and on the Silesia Dzieciątko- Little Jezus.

The Christmas is decorated on Christmas Eve.

It is decorated with a star on the top,

gingerbreads, lights and "bombki" which are

bubbles and glass ornaments in different

shapes. They are usually hand-made, painted or

decorated in other way.

Famous

Poles

Mikołaj Kopernik

Mathematician and astronomer who formulated a model of the universe that places the Sun rather than the Earth at its

center.

Maria Skłodowska Curie

eminent physicist and chemist. Twice awarded

the Nobel for research in the field of radioactivity and for the separation of

pure radium.

Czesław Miłosz

Poet, novelist, translator.Nobel Prize winner.

Wisława Szymborska

Poet, critic.Nobel Prize winner.

Lech Wałęsa

Union activist, politician,President of the Polish

Republic.Nobel Peace Prize in 1983.

Karol Wojtyła

The most famous Polish later known as

Jan Paweł II

Jan Matejko- the master of battle scenes

Polish painter:

Polish musicians:

Fryderyk Chopin-One of the greatest

Polish composers, born in Żelazowa

Wola, died in Paris. He composed

nocturnes, sonatas, polonaises, études,

scherzos and preludes.

Ignacy Jan

Paderewski - Polish

pianist, composer,

independence

activist and politician

Thank you

for watching,

see you in Poland